Ellis Island is powerfully symbolic in American culture. For many it marks the beginning of their American identity. For Native Americans and African Americans, it became a powerful place to stage a protest in the 1970s.Read More ›

Stacy Whiteman and Cheryl Klein are editors, and Joseph Bruchac and Eric Gansworth are Native authors. It was interesting to see the interchange between authors and editors during the program. Read More ›

Nearly everything you thought you knew about the Pony Express is wrong. Well, perhaps not wrong, but exaggerated or romanticized. If you’re like me, you’re probably imagining men dressed in fringed leather uniform on horses, riding at break-neck speeds to carry important business and love letters hundreds of miles, perhaps while simultaneously shooting their Wincester rifles in the air. When not dashing across the prairie, the riders would be found roping cattle, drinking and playing cards in saloons, hunting buffalo, and dodging Black-Hatted Bandits and

By now, you know that when I go on hiatus, it means I head out west. The Southwest, to be precise. I’ll be gone for a week and my destinations are Gallup, New Mexico and Zuni, New Mexico. Zuni Pueblo is centered in the small town of Zuni, located about forty miles southwest of Gallup. These are highly desirable destinations for the collector of American Indian jewelry and arts. Gallup, as an Indian reservation border town, has long played a key role in the Indian arts business. Zuni is a fascinating place, but has suffered from a historical plague of anthropologists poking their

I’m slipping off and attending an exciting celebration on Thursday, so my next post will come on Friday. The National Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan will be holding an awards event, A Single Thread: Celebrating Native American Design and Style. Five native artists will be honored for their accomplishments, and most of them work in textiles and adornment. I know three of the artists personally, so this will be a fine time to let them know how much their contributions to the arts are appreciated.

Last weekend’s Heard Museum Indian Market and Guild Fair in Phoenix took place under sunny skies and a balmy 81 degree temperature. The event was well-attended, although the quiet buzz among artist participants was worry over the effects of the economy. Fine and decorative art sales usually suffer when the economy is perceived as weakened. The jewelers told me how the price of silver and gold and other precious materials had gone up, and their dilemma was whether to pass on these costs in raised prices or not. Having attended

I’m going on hiatus for a week. My destination is Phoenix, Arizona, now fully recovered from its Superbowl hospitality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Heard Museum Indian Market and Guild Fair, always held on the first weekend in March. An important venue for the sale of American Indian art, like the famous Santa Fe Indian Market, this event draws general enthusiasts, tourists, and dedicated collectors like me. 650 of the best Indian artists in North America gather to sell an array of delectable arts and crafts.